Communicator Drag & Drop Specification

Authored by: User Interface Group, ©1998 Netscape Communications Corp.
Last updated:


Summary

This document is the user interface specification for drag-and-drop mechanisms in Communicator

Table of Contents

Summary

Table of contents

Design goals

Design specification

Drag-and-drop feedback (this area is under construction)
Cursor draggable objects drop targets
Dragging Content
Text Images Text with Links Images with Links
Dragging from the Desktop
HTML file Message File
Dragging from the Navigator
Browser window Bookmarks History Search Sitemap
Dragging from Mail & News
Folder Pane Thread Pane Mail Compose Address Book Search Messages
Dragging from Composer
Address Proxy Attachment
Dragging from Address Book
Single Entries Whole adr. book
Dragging from Other Applications
Delimited Text

Design Goals

This is the centralized spec for drag-and-drop. Drag-and-drop refers to users clicking on a piece of information, and moving this information to another place by holding the mouse button down, finally releasing the mouse button to "drop" the information.

Drag and drop provides a way for the end-user to quickly transfer information between places in the communicator application, and to exchange information between communicator and other applications or the OS environment.

As a rule of thumb, for most operations drag-and-drop should not be the only means by which information can be transferred as this capability cannot be readily discovered. Designers should thus always provide alternative means of accomplishing the same transfer of information, e.g. by using the clipboard or through menu commands.

Design Specification


Dragging Content

Dragging content from one HTML editor to another (including HTML Mail Compose) will preserve all formatting and spacing. If the drop target is a plain text compose window, or an unknown type of target, then convert the html to plaintext and drop the formatting.

Dragging text
to this window on this target performs this action
Current browser window Print button Prints selection
Compose window Message pane Pastes text
Editor window Any insertion point Pastes text
Desktop Anywhere Saves the text as a clipping (Mac) On other
Dragging an image
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere (Single image only) Copies image to local hard drive
Current browser window Print button Prints selected image
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches image - does not appear inline
HTML message pane Pastes image inline; image does not appear in the attachment pane
Non-HTML message pane Attaches image - does not appear inline
Editor window Any insertion point Pastes image
Dragging linked text
to this window on this target performs this action
Current browser window Print button Prints selection
Quickfile Adds bookmark
Customizable toolbar Creates button which acts as a link to that page
Another browser window Location field Pastes URL without loading
Page area Loads page
Bookmark window Bookmark folder Adds bookmark to folder (at bottom)
Anywhere else Adds bookmark
Compose window HTML message pane Pastes text with link intact
Non-HTML message pane Pastes text without link intact
Editor window Any selection Makes the selection a link
Any insertion point Pastes the text with link intact
Taskbar Browser icon Opens link in new browser window
Dragging a linked image
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere (Single image only) Copies image to local hard drive
Current browser window Print button Prints selection
Quickfile Adds bookmark to the link
Customizable toolbar Creates button which acts as a link to that page
Another browser window Location field Pastes link URL without loading
Page area Loads linked page
Bookmark window Bookmark folder Adds bookmark to link to folder (at bottom)
Anywhere else Adds bookmark to link
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches image without link intact; image does not appear inline
HTML message pane Pastes image inline with link intact
Plain message pane Attaches image without link intact; image does not appear inline
Editor window Any selection Inserts image with link intact and makes the selection a link
Any insertion point Pastes the image with link intact
Taskbar Browser icon Opens link in new browser window

Dragging from the Desktop

Any file can be dragged from the desktop to the compose window, on the attachments pane or tab, where it is attached (but not viewed inline). Any file that the browser supports, such as an .html, .gif or .aif, can be dragged to the browser window, the bookmarks window, the bookmarks quickfile, and the customizable toolbar. A file dragged to a browser window is immediately loaded an viewed/played.

HTML files and Messenger/Collabra message files can also be dragged to these places:
Dragging a HTML file from the desktop
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Navigator icon Opens file in Navigator
Composer icon Opens file in Composer
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches file (does not appear inline)
Editor window Any selection Makes the selection a link
Any insertion point Pastes the title of the page and makes it a link
Taskbar Browser icon Loads file in new browser window
Editor icon Opens file in the editor
.
Dragging an Messenger or Collabra file from the desktop
to this window on this target performs this action
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches file (does not appear inline)
Desktop Messenger or Collabra icon Opens that file in that application.
Taskbar Mail icon Opens message in message window

Dragging from the Browser

Dragging from the Browser window
Dragging a page proxy from a browser window
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Creates shortcut to page
Current browser window Customizable toolbar Creates button which acts as a link to that page
Quickfile Adds bookmark
Print button Prints current page (brings up print dialog box)
Another browser window Location field Pastes URL without loading
Page area Loads page
Bookmark window Bookmark folder Adds bookmark in folder (at bottom)
Anywhere else Adds bookmark
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches page (does not appear inline)
HTML message pane Pastes link (page is not attached and does not appear inline)
Non-HTML message pane Attaches page (does not appear inline)
Editor window Any selection Makes the selection a link
Any insertion point Pastes the title of the page and makes it a link
Taskbar Browser icon Loads file in new browser window
Editor icon Opens file in the editor

Dragging from the History window

Dragging a page icon from the history window
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Creates shortcut to page
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates button which acts as a link to that page
Location field Pastes URL without loading
Page area Loads page
Quickfile Adds bookmark
Bookmark window Bookmark folder Adds bookmark in folder (at bottom)
Anywhere else Adds bookmark
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches page (does not appear inline)
HTML message pane Pastes link (page is not attached and does not appear inline)
Non-HTML message pane Attaches page (does not appear inline)
Editor window Any selection Makes the selection a link
Any insertion point Pastes the title of the page and makes it a link
Taskbar Browser icon Opens page in new browser window
Editor icon Opens page in editor

Dragging from the Bookmarks window

Dragging a page icon from the bookmarks window
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Creates shortcut to page
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates button which acts as a link to that page
Location field Pastes URL without loading
Page area Loads page
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches page (does not appear inline)
HTML message pane Pastes link (page is not attached and does not appear inline)
Non-HTML message pane Attaches page (does not appear inline)
Editor window Any selection Makes the selection a link
Any insertion point Pastes the title of the page and makes it a link
Taskbar Browser icon Opens page in new browser window
Editor icon Opens page in editor

Dragging from Mail & News

Dragging from the Folders Pane
Dragging a folder proxy or several folder proxys
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop anywhere but the trash creats a shortcut / alias to the folder
trash deletes the folder
Navigator Customizable toolbar creates a button that opens Messenger to that folder
Bookmarks quickfile creates a bookmark that opens Messenger to that folder
NavCenter Any writable container (bookmarks, history) creates a bookmark that opens Messenger to that folder
Messenger: Folder pane Folder pane: personal folder moves the folder into it
Folder pane: shared / writable folder copies the folder into it
Messenger:Thread pane Anywhere opens that folder into it
Mail Compose addressing pane if the item is a public folder, then this will add a address line to the folder (currently out)
if it is a personal folder. then a CC line is added, copying the message to the folder (Not on the in list)
Dragging a newsgroup proxy or proxys
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop anywhere but the trash creats a shortcut / alias to the newsgroup
trash unsubscribes from the newsgroup
Navigator Customizable toolbar creates a button that opens Messenger to that newsgroup
Bookmarks quickfile creates a bookmark that opens Messenger to that newsgroup
NavCenter Any writable container (bookmarks, history) creates a bookmark that opens Messenger to that newsgroup
Messenger: Folder pane Anywhere within the newsgroup's server reorders the newsgroup
Messenger:Thread pane Anywhere opens that newsgroup into it
Mail Compose Addressing pane addresses the message to the newsgroup(s)
Aside from that, drag and drop from the folders window is restricted to:

dragging local, user-made mail folders (this means folders other than the inbox, outbox, trash, and drafts folders) to:

dragging any remote server mail folder other than the inbox or the trash to:
Anytime a folder is dragged to the trash, its thread window and any associated message windows are automatically closed.

* These actions move the folder after one of the following dialog boxes pops up:

or

However, when the destination is the wrong trash folder, one of the following dialogs pops up instead:

or

All of these dialogs should be followed by a cancellable progress dialog. Note that none of these warnings should appear when moving messages around from the thread or message windows - they only apply when moving entire folders.

Dragging from the Thread window

The drag and drop behavior of the content of HTML messages is the same as that of browser windows (see above).
Dragging the thread window proxy
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Creates a shortcut to that window
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates a button which acts as a shortcut to that window
Quickfile Creates a bookmark to that window
Dragging a message or several messages
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Creates a shortcut to that message (single messages only)
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates a button which acts as a shortcut to that message (single messages only)
Quickfile Creates a bookmark to that message (single messages only)
Folders window Any mail folder Moves message(s) - copies it for news messages
Current thread window File button Dragging to the button drops down a list of mail folders; the user can then select a destination folder. Upon mouseup the message(s) are moved.
Any other mail thread window List of messages Moves message(s) - copies it for news messages
Compose window Attachments tab or pane Attaches message(s).. Does not quote it inline
* When a message or thread is dragged to the trash, any open message windows are automatically closed.
Dragging a thread icon
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Creates a shortcut to that window
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates a button which acts as a shortcut to that window
Quickfile Creates a bookmark to that window
Folders window Any mail folder Moves thread- copies it for news messages
Current thread window File button Dragging to the button drops down a list of mail folders; the user can then select a destination folder. Upon mouseup the thread ismoved.
Any other mail thread window List of messages Moves thread- copies it for news messages
Compose window Attachments tab or pane Attaches messages. Does not quote them inline
* When a message or thread is dragged to the trash, any open message windows are automatically closed.
Dragging an attached file
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop On top of an application icon Launches that application and opens the file
Anywhere else Copies the attached file to the desktop
Browser window Content area Loads the file (browser-readable files only)
Compose message window Attachment pane or tab Attaches the file

Dragging from the Message window

The drag and drop behavior of the content of HTML messages is the same as that of browser windows (see above).
Dragging the message proxy
to this window on this target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Saves message as text file
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates a button which acts as a shortcut to that message
Folders pane Any mail folder Moves message - copies it for news messages
Any other mail thread window List of messages Moves message - copies it for news messages
Compose message window Attachments tab or pane Attaches message. Does not quote it inline.
* When a message is dragged to the trash, the message window is automatically closed.

Dragging from the Compose window

Dragging an address proxy
to this window on this1 target performs this action
Desktop anywhere removes the address(es) from the addressing pane
Mail Compose addressing pane reorders the address within the pane
Dragging an attachment proxy
to this window on this1 target performs this action
Desktop anywhere removes the attachment(s) from the addressing pane

Dragging from the Address book window or Select Addresses window

Dragging a single address book entry or multiple entries,
or a single mailing list or multiple, or a combination of the two
to this window on this1 target performs this action
Desktop Anywhere Creates Vcard (.vcf) file for that person (or multiple vcards for multiple people)
Messenger Icon Opens a compose window preaddressed to that person or mailing list
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates a button which opens a compose window preaddressed to that person
NavCenter (Bookmarks or other writable area) Creates a bookmark which opens a mail compose window preaddresses to that person.
Compose window Attachment pane or tab Attaches Netscape-created vcard - does not appear inline
Addressing area on message pane Adds name(s) as recipient(s)
Address book Mailing list icon (in either pane) Adds selected entry(ies) to mailing list
Mailing list properties window Adds selected entry(ies) to mailing list
Address Book (in left pane) Adds selected entry(ies) to the address book
Mail Compose or Composer Any selection Makes selection a mailto: link to all entries
Any insertion point Inserts name(s) and makes it a mailto: link
Taskbar Mail icon Opens a compose window preaddressed to that person or mailing list
Dragging a single address book or multiple address books
to this window on this1 target performs this action
Any browser window Customizable toolbar Creates a button which opens the address book with that address book selected
NavCenter (Bookmarks or other writable area) Creates a bookmark which opens the address book with that address book selected
Address book Address Book (in left pane) Reorders the address books in the left pane.

Dragging from Other Applications

Dragging comma or tab-delimited text
to this window on this1 target performs this action
Mail Compose addressing pane Adds names as recipients
insertion point pastes the content; if the content is html text and the user is in HTML compose mode, we should interpret it as html.
Address Book Mailing list icon (in either pane) Adds name(s) to mailing list
Mailing list properties window Adds name(s) to mailing list
Address Book (in left pane) Adds name(s) to the address book